As a child, Saleh Shirafkan gained a reputation for being too rough with his toys. What his parents didn’t realize was that their little boy was actually paving the way to his future vocation.
Fascinated by how things worked, Shirafkan would dip into his father’s toolbox and disassemble his toys just to see what was inside. Predictably, he couldn’t memorize the process to put them back together, which left him with a pile of nonfunctioning toys. That changed during his early adult years working as a Xerox printer operator, where he would watch the technicians repairing the machines. Shirafkan wanted to be able to troubleshoot his own printer issues and not have to make a service call.
The sacrifice his toys made was finally validated. “Eventually, some of the Xerox technicians noticed my interest and troubleshooting ability and introduced me to their service manager, which led to my first technician position,” said Shirafkan, a 2026 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “Looking back, that was when something I had naturally enjoyed since childhood became a career.”
He’s spent nearly half of his 22-year career scaling the ladder at GoodSuite, beginning as a field technician. Three promotions later, Shirafkan resides in the vice president of service role, having gained the reputation as the hardest-working team member. He constantly builds on GoodSuite’s adept service value proposition, implementing the department’s standard operating procedures and applying Lean Six Sigma to bolster efficiencies and response times.
Thirst for AI
Shirafkan has also embraced the AI age, reducing manual work while taking decision-making to the next level. He’s motivated to continue learning more about technology’s greatest development and is making it center stage for improving processes, decision-making and the way work is approached.
At the simplest level, there’s a satisfying blast of dopamine that accompanies repairing a machine. “Seeing a client smile because their problem is resolved and they can get back to work is still one of the best feelings for me,” he said.
Shirafkan spent 10 years with Xerox in Iran before coming stateside, which has provided a global perspective and a treasure trove of memories along the way. He counts his promotion to vice president of service as a watershed moment in his career.
“Beyond the title itself, it represented reaching a level of leadership I had worked toward for many years,” Shirafkan said. “I’m very grateful to GoodSuite for giving me the opportunity and trust to reach that point in my career.”
Although he demonstrated a natural inclination for troubleshooting and technical analysis, Shirafkan’s first manager in the technician realm encouraged him to read four books in order to “learn everything from the foundation” and become a great tech. In heeding the advice, Shirafkan solidified his approach to learning, troubleshooting and molding new technicians.
Different World
Moving to the United States was a challenge in itself. “Working in one of the world’s most advanced technology environments pushed me to continue growing, and [GoodSuite CEO] Dan Strull’s trust and support have given me opportunities to keep learning, improving, and taking on greater responsibility,” he added.
Much of Shirafkan’s family still resides in Iran, where he lived until age 30. He immigrated to the U.S. in 2014 and met his future wife, Nina, four years later in Los Angeles. Their Yorkie, Hannah, rounds out the family. The Shirafkans have a passion for travel; instead of buying one another gifts, they squirrel away money for memorable adventures every year.
When he’s not working, Shirafkan—who played competitive soccer on a championship team as a teenager—enjoys getting immersed in PlayStation games. Not surprisingly, tech is also a hobby and he enjoys experimenting with robotics, IT and AI at home. He’s also a dedicated Red Cross blood donator.
The high school version of me wanted to be a: Cardiologist
Interesting fact about you: I love trying, using, and learning about the newest technology. Technology has always been both a professional interest and a personal hobby for me.
Celebrities you have met: Shania Twain, which was especially memorable because she was my celebrity crush when I was a teenager.
Favorite book or movie: Movie: “Just Like Heaven”; book: “10X Happiness” by Dan Strull.
Favorite food: Persian food, definitely.
Person you’d most like to meet: Elon Musk
Dream vacation destination: Japan
Any special talents: Troubleshooting and finding solutions. I really enjoy taking a complicated problem apart and figuring out what is actually causing it.
Guilty pleasure: Gaming. I still enjoy playing PlayStation regularly.
Most prized possession: My reputation for honesty and loyalty. Those are two things I value deeply and never want to compromise.
